Solute-dispensing closure

ABSTRACT

A solute-dispensing closure is configured to mount on a filler neck of a container. Solute-dispensing closure can be operated by a user to discharge solute into solvent stored in a solvent reservoir provided in the container.

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.12/418,498 files Apr. 3, 2009 which claims is a continuation-in-part ofU.S. application Ser. No. 11/024,026, filed Dec. 24, 2004 and claimspriority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 61/042,306, filed Apr. 4, 2008, which is expressly incorporated byreference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to closures, and particularly to closuresfor mounting on the top of bottles or other containers. Moreparticularly, the present disclosure relates to a closure configured todispense a solute into a solvent contained in a container coupled to theclosure.

SUMMARY

A solute-dispensing closure in accordance with the present disclosure isadapted to be coupled to a filler neck of a container. Thesolute-dispensing closure can be operated to discharge a solute into asolvent stored in the container.

In illustrative embodiments, the solute-dispensing closure includes asolute-carrier cartridge mounted for movement in a tubular inner guidefrom a raised solute-storage position to a lowered solute-dispensingposition. The tubular inner guide is included in a cartridge-supportbody that is adapted to mount on a container filler neck to place thetubular inner guide in fluid communication with any solvent stored in anunderlying container. A cartridge-piercing unit is coupled to a lowerend of the tubular inner guide and arranged to puncture a downwardlymoving solute-carrier cartridge to produce a solute-dispensing openingin the solute-carrier cartridge freeing any solute carried in thecartridge to flow into the solvent stored in the container.

In illustrative embodiments, the solute-carrier cartridge is arranged inthe tubular inner guide to extend upwardly through a top aperture formedin the tubular inner guide to cause an exposed portion of thesolute-carrier cartridge to lie outside the tubular inner guide when thesolute-carrier cartridge is retained in the raised solute-storageposition. In use, a consumer can easily apply an external impact force(using, for example, the palm of the consumer's hand) to dislodge thesolute-carrier cartridge and move it downwardly in a cartridge-guidingpassageway formed in the tubular inner guide to engage and be puncturedby the cartridge-piercing unit. Once solute carried in thesolute-carrier cartridge is discharged into solvent extant in thecompanion container, the consumer can shake the container vigorously todissolve the solute in the solvent to produce a drink mixture in asolvent reservoir formed in the container.

In illustrative embodiments, a removable outer lid is coupled to thecartridge-support body. The outer lid is configured to cover the exposedportion of the movable solute-carrier cartridge to shield the movablesolute-carrier cartridge from exposure to a premature external impactforce to block premature movement of the solute-carrier cartridge toengage the cartridge-piercing unit and cause premature puncture of thesolute-carrier cartridge and discharge of solute carried therein into anunderlying pool of solvent in a container coupled to thecartridge-support body.

Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent tothose skilled in the art upon consideration of illustrative embodimentsexemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presentlyperceived.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figuresin which:

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a package including a containerfilled with a solvent such as drinking water and a solute-dispensingclosure in accordance with the present disclosure mounted on a fillerneck included in the container;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 after removal of an outer lidincluded in the solute-dispensing closure to expose a cylinder-shapedupper portion of a movable solute-carrier cartridge arranged to projectupwardly above a cylindrical rim of a cartridge-support body included inthe solute-dispensing closure and coupled to the filler neck of thecontainer;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 showing downward movement ofthe movable solute-carrier cartridge relative to the cartridge-supportbody from a raised solute-storage position shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 to alowered solute-dispensing position shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 in response toapplication of a downwardly directed extended impact force to theexposed portion of the movable solute-carrier cartridge and showingpowdered solute discharged from the solute-dispensing closure intosolvent contained in a solvent reservoir provided in the underlyingcontainer;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 4-4 showing themovable solute-carrier cartridge retained in the raised solute-storageposition by engagement with retention ribs coupled to an interior wallincluded in the cartridge-support body and located above several angledradial blades included in a cartridge-piercing unit coupled to thecartridge-support body and arranged to underlie the solute-carriercartridge;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 5-5 showingpuncture of a sealing member defining a lower end of the solute-carriercartridge as suggested in FIG. 4 to produce an opening in the sealingmember and cause discharge of powdered solute from the solute-carriercartridge through the opening in the sealing member into a solvent (suchas drinking water) stored in a solvent reservoir formed in the containercoupled to the cartridge-support body included in the solute-dispensingclosure before the package is shaken by a user to dissolve the solute inthe solvent to produce a drink mixture in the solvent reservoir formedin the container;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIGS. 4 and 5 but before thesolute-carrier cartridge is installed in the cartridge-support body ofthe solute-dispensing closure;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the solute-carrier cartridge shown in FIG.4 before it is installed in the cartridge-support body of thesolute-dispensing closure; and

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view of a solute-dispensing closure inaccordance with the present disclosure and an illustrative view of atamper-evident band included in the solute-dispensing closure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A package 10 in accordance with the present disclosure includes acontainer 12 and a solute-dispensing closure 14 coupled to container 12.As suggested in FIGS. 2 and 4, solute-dispensing closure 14 includes asolute-carrier cartridge 16 formed to include an interior solute-storageregion 18 containing a solute 20. As suggested in FIGS. 3 and 5,solute-carrier cartridge 16 is mounted for movement in verticalcartridge-guiding passageway 22 formed in a cartridge-support body 24included in solute-dispensing closure 14 and coupled to container 12.Once solute-carrier cartridge 16 is moved in a downward direction 26 incartridge-guiding passageway 22, it is punctured by a cartridge-piercingunit 28 included in solute-dispensing closure 14 to cause solute 20 tobe dispensed into solvent 30 stored in container 12 through an opening32 formed in solute-carrier cartridge 16 as shown best in FIG. 5.

Once a user has applied a downward external impact force 101 to causesolute-carrier cartridge 16 to move downwardly and be punctured byunderlying cartridge-piercing unit 28 to cause solute 20 to be dispensedinto solvent 30, the user is instructed to shake package 10 to hastenthe rate at which solute 20 dissolves in solvent 30 to produce a drinkmixture in an interior solvent-storage region 50 formed in container 12.The user then removes solute-dispensing closure 14 from a filler neck 13included in container 12 so that the user can access and consume thedrink mixture. Should the user elect to store unconsumed drink mixturein container 12, solute-dispensing closure 14 or any other suitablefiller-neck closure can be coupled to filler neck 13 to close an openinginto the interior solvent-storage region 50 formed in container 12.

Solute-carrier cartridge (or cap) 16 includes an inverted cup 34 and asealing member 36 coupled to a brim 38 of cup 34 to define interiorregion 18 of solute-carrier cartridge 16 as shown, for example, in FIGS.4 and 7. Solute 20 is deposited into a cavity 40 formed in cup 34 beforesealing member 36 is coupled to brim 38 of cup 34 to retain solute 20 ininterior region 18. It is within the scope of this disclosure to use apowdered (as shown) or liquid solute to define solute 20 or to use anyother suitable fluid solute.

Cup 34 in solute-carrier cartridge 16 includes a round end wall 341 anda cylindrical side wall 342 coupled to a perimeter edge of round endwall 341 in an illustrative embodiment as shown, for example, in FIG. 1.End wall 341 and side wall 342 cooperate to form cavity 40 as suggestedin FIGS. 4 and 7. A radially outwardly opening annular detent-receivernotch 42 is formed in an outer portion of cylindrical side wall 342located in close proximity to brim 38 and between brim 38 and bottomwall 341 as suggested in FIGS. 4 and 7. Notch 42 is bounded, forexample, by a downwardly facing, frustoconical cam ramp 53, an annularupwardly facing annular surface 59, and a cylindrical radially outwardlyfacing surface 57 interconnecting cam ramp 53 and surface 59 assuggested in FIG. 7.

Sealing member 36 is coupled to cup 34 using any suitable means to closean opening into cavity 40 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 4 and 7.Sealing member 36 is coupled to brim 38 of cup 34 as suggested in FIGS.4 and 7. Sealing member 36 remains intact in a solute-retaining state assuggested, for example, in FIG. 4 until punctured by cartridge-piercingunit 28 to produce solute-discharge opening 32 during downward movementof solute-carrier cartridge 16 in cartridge-guiding passageway 22 indirection 26 toward solvent 30 in container 12 as suggested, forexample, in FIG. 5. Sealing member 36 is, for example, a metallic foil(as shown) or a film made of a plastics material or other suitablepierceable closure.

Solute-dispensing closure 14 includes a tubular inner guide 44 formed toinclude cartridge-guiding passageway 22 and an outer skirt 46 coupled totubular inner guide 44 and arranged to surround tubular inner guide 44as shown, for example, in FIGS. 4 and 5. Outer skirt 46 is formed toinclude any suitable closure-attaching mechanism 48 configured to mounton container 12 to cause tubular inner guide 44 to communicate with aninterior solvent-storage region 50 formed in container 12 as shown, forexample, in FIGS. 4 and 5. In an illustrative embodiment,closure-attaching mechanism 48 is configured to mate with a filler neck13 included in container 12 and coupled to a vessel 15 formed to storesolvent 30 therein as suggested in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Tubular inner guide 44 of solute-dispensing closure 14 includes an openlower end 51 and opposite open upper end 52, and a cartridge-receivingspace defined by cartridge-guiding passageway 22 extending therebetweenas suggested in FIGS. 4 and 5. In an illustrative embodiment,cartridge-piercing unit 28 is arranged to lie in a stationary positionadjacent to open lower end 51 of tubular inner guide 44 and arranged toextend upwardly in cartridge-guiding passageway 22 from open lower end51 in a direction toward open upper end 52 as suggested in FIGS. 4 and5. It is within the scope of this disclosure to couplecartridge-piercing unit 28 directly to tubular inner guide 44.

A cartridge retainer 54 is coupled to an interior wall 55 of tubularinner guide 44 as shown, for example, in FIG. 6. Cartridge retainer 54includes a first retention rib 56 coupled to a middle section ofinterior wall 55 and a second retention rib 58 coupled to an uppersection of interior wall 55 and arranged to lie between first retentionrib 56 and open upper end 52 of tubular inner guide 44 as shown, forexample, in FIG. 6. First retention rib 56 is positioned to lie betweencartridge-piercing unit 28 and second retention rib 58 in anillustrative embodiment. Each of first and second retainer ribs 56, 58is an annular protuberance extending radially inwardly from cylindricalinterior wall 55 into cartridge-guiding passageway 22 in an illustrativeembodiment shown in FIG. 6.

Cartridge retainer 54 is configured normally to retain solute-dispensingcartridge 16 in a raised solute-storage position as shown, for example,in FIG. 4 until a user 100 elects to contact end wall 341 of cup 34 andapply a downward external impact force 101 to an exposed portion 160 ofcup 34. First retention rib 56 extends radially inwardly into annularnotch 42 formed in side wall 342 of cup 34. First retention rib 56 actsas a detent to engage an annular upwardly facing surface 59 included incup 34 at notch 42 to block withdrawal of cup 34 from cartridge-guidingpassageway 22 formed in tubular inner guide 44. Second retention rib 56is configured and sized to provide means for establishing aninterference fit with an outer surface of side wall 342 of cup 34normally to retain solute-carrier cartridge 16 in the raisedsolute-storage position shown in FIG. 4 yet allow downward movement ofsolute-carrier cartridge 16 in direction 26 in cartridge-guidingpassageway 22 toward cartridge-piercing unit 28 in response toapplication of an external impact force 101 to end wall 341 of cup 34that has a magnitude in excess of a predetermined threshold level. It isalso within the scope of this disclosure to cause first retention rib 56to extend into notch 42 to establish or to help establish the raisedsolute-storage position of solute-carrier cartridge 16.

Cartridge-piercing unit 28 comprises a plurality of angled radial blades60 that are coupled at a lower end thereof to open lower end 51 oftubular inner guide 44 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 by means, for example,of one or more radially extending cartridge stops 53 arranged tointerconnect tubular inner guide 44 and cartridge-piercing unit 28.Blades 60 are arranged to converge at upper ends thereof and extendupwardly toward open upper end 52 of tubular inner guide 44. The upperends of angled radial blades 60 are arranged to face toward and lie inclosely confronting relation to sealing member 36 of solute-carriercartridge 16 as suggested in FIG. 4 when solute-carrier cartridge 16 isretained by cartridge retainer 54 in the raised solute-storage positionas shown, for example, in FIG. 4.

Cartridge-piercing unit 28 further includes several upwardly extendingsealing-member folders 63 arranged to lie in spaces provided betweenadjacent pairs of angled radial blades 60. Folders 63 cooperate toprovide means for moving and separating portions of the puncturedsealing member 36 after sealing member 36 has been punctured by blades60 to expand opening 32 to maximize flow of solute 20 out ofsolute-carrier cartridge 16 and into solvent 30.

Solute-carrier cartridge 16 is mounted for movement in cartridge-guidingpassageway 22 formed in tubular inner guide 44 to present sealing member36 in confronting relation to angled radial blades 60 ofcartridge-piercing unit 28 as suggested in FIG. 4. Solute-carriercartridge 16 is movable between a closed sealed position (i.e., raisedsolute-storage position) in which sealing member 36 is separated fromcartridge-piercing unit 28 as shown in FIG. 4 and an openedsolute-dispensing position in which sealing member 36 is punctured orotherwise pierced by cartridge-piercing unit 28 to free any dispensablematerial (i.e., solute 20) stored in interior region 18 ofsolute-carrier cartridge 16 to flow through passageways 62 formedbetween angled radial blades 60 and open lower end 51 of tubular innerguide 44 into interior solvent-storage region 50 of container 12 to mixwith any solvent 30 stored therein. In an illustrative embodiment,cartridge stops 53 are coupled to lower end 51 of tubular inner guide 44and arranged to engage solute-carrier cartridge 16 aftercartridge-piercing unit 28 has punctured solute-carrier cartridge 16 toproduce solute-discharge opening 32 so as to limit any further downwardmovement of solute-carrier cartridge 16 in direction 26 toward interiorsolvent-storage region 50 in container 12.

As suggested in FIG. 6, tubular inner guide 44 includes an upper guideportion 441 and a lower guide portion 442. Upper guide portion 441 isarranged to extend upwardly from outer skirt 46 and cartridge-piercingunit 28 and terminate at open upper end 52. First and second retentionribs 56, 58 included in cartridge retainer 54 are coupled to upper guideportion 441 as shown in FIG. 6. Upper guide portion 441 is configured toform an upper portion of cartridge-guiding passageway 22. Lower guideportion 442 is surrounded in part by closure-attaching mechanism 48 andarranged to extend downwardly from upper guide portion 441 and terminateat open lower end 51. Lower guide portion 442 is configured to form alower portion of cartridge-guiding passageway 22. Solute-carriercartridge 16 is arranged to extend into upper guide portion 441 but lieoutside of lower guide portion 442 when solute-carrier cartridge 16 isarranged to lie in the raised solute-storage position as shown, forexample, in FIG. 4. Solute-carrier cartridge 16 is arranged to liepartly in each of upper and lower guide portions 441, 442 whensolute-carrier cartridge 16 is moved to engage cartridge stop(s) 53 andassume the lowered solute-dispensing position as shown, for example, inFIG. 5.

A removable outer lid 70 is configured to be mounted onsolute-dispensing closure 14 to cover solute-carrier cartridge 16 assuggested in FIGS. 1 and 2. Outer lid 70 functions both as a dust coverand means for blocking inadvertent puncture of solute-carrier cartridge16. When outer lid 70 is mounted in place as suggested in FIG. 1,solute-carrier cartridge 16 is covered and shielded and thus not exposedto any external impact forces such as downward force 101.

An upstanding lid mount 72 is coupled to outer skirt 46 and configuredto mate with removable outer lid 70 as suggested in FIGS. 2, 4, and 6.In an illustrative embodiment, lid mount 72 includes an annular sleeve73 having a lower end coupled to a radially outwardly extending annularplatform 74 included in outer skirt 46. Annular platform 74 is arrangedto surround and mate with a middle portion of tubular inner guide 44 anddefine a boundary between upper and lower guide portions 441, 442 asshown best in FIG. 6. Annular sleeve 73 is arranged to surround and liein spaced-apart relation to upper guide portion 441 of tubular innerguide 44 and terminate at an open upper end 75 as shown best in FIG. 6.Lid mount 72 also includes one or more helical lid-retention flanges 76coupled to an exterior surface of annular sleeve 73 and arranged to matewith companion flanges (not shown) included in outer lid 70 to retainouter lid 70 in place on solute-dispensing closure 14 as suggested inFIG. 1.

In an illustrative embodiment, removable outer lid 70 is a twist-off lidand includes a top dome 77 having a round top wall 78 and a dependingcylindrical side wall 79 as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1 and 2. Outerlid 70 also includes a series of circumferentially spaced-apart,vertically extending, top load/support ribs 80 formed in side wall 79.These ribs 80 cooperate to provide means for rigidifying top dome 77 sothat it can support the weight of other packages stacked on top of topdome 77 to enhance the stacking strength of outer lid 77 and avoidpremature downward movement of solute-carrier cartridge 16 in downwarddirection 26 relative to cartridge-support body 24 that could lead topremature puncture of solute-carrier cartridge 16. Outer lid 70 alsoincludes a lower rim 81 coupled to a lower edge of cylindrical side walland formed to include flanges (not shown) configured to mate withlid-retention flanges in lid mount 72. It is within the scope of thisdisclosure to use any suitable means to retain removable outer lid 70 oncartridge-support body 24.

A tamper-evident band 90 is included in a lowermost portion ofsolute-dispensing closure 14 as suggested in FIG. 8 (and in FIG. 1).Band 90 is coupled to outer skirt 46 as suggested diagrammatically inFIG. 8. Band 90 comprises a series of folded tabs 92 separated byV-shaped channels 94 as shown, for example, in FIG. 8. Tamper-band 90 isshown in place on filler neck 13 of container 12 in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Cartridge-support body 24 includes a tubular inner guide 44 formed toinclude a cartridge-guiding passageway 22 and a guide mount 46 coupledto tubular inner guide 44. Guide mount 46 is adapted to be coupled to acontainer 12 to hold tubular inner guide 44 in a stationary positionrelative to container 12 placing cartridge-guiding passageway 22 influid communication with an interior solvent-storage region 50 formed incontainer 12. Tubular inner guide 44 is formed to include a top aperture520 opening into cartridge-guiding passageway 22 as suggested in FIG. 6and a bottom aperture 510 opening into cartridge-guiding passageway 22and communicating with interior solvent-storage region 50 of a container12 coupled to guide mount 46.

Cartridge-piercing unit 28 is associated with bottom aperture 510 formedin tubular inner guide 44. Solute-carrier cartridge 16 is mounted formovement in tubular inner guide 44 toward cartridge-piercing unit 28.

Cartridge retainer 54 is coupled to tubular inner guide 44. Cartridgeretainer 54 is configured to provide means for normally retainingsolute-carrier cartridge 16 in a raised solute-storage position lying inspaced-apart relation to cartridge-piercing unit 28 and extendingoutwardly through top aperture 520 formed in tubular inner guide 44 tocause an exposed portion 160 of solute-carrier cartridge 16 to lieoutside of cartridge-guiding passageway 22 until an external impactforce 101 is applied to exposed portion 160 to cause solute-carriercartridge 16 to move in cartridge-guiding passageway 22 to engagecartridge-piercing unit 28 and cause cartridge-piercing unit 28 topuncture solute-carrier cartridge 16 and establish a solute-dischargeopening 32 in solute-carrier cartridge 16 freeing any solute 20 carriedin solute-carrier cartridge 16 to flow out of solute-carrier cartridge16 into any solvent 30 stored in an interior solvent-storage region 50formed in a container 12 coupled to guide mount 46.

Tubular inner guide 44 includes a top edge 52 e deformed to define topaperture 520 as suggested in FIG. 6. Solute-carrier cartridge 16includes a cup 34 formed to include an end wall 341 and a side wall 342.End wall 341 is arranged to lie outside cartridge-guiding passageway 22and in spaced-apart relation to top edge 52 e of tubular inner guide 44.Side wall 342 is coupled to end wall 341 and arranged to extend intocartridge-guiding passageway 22 and terminate at a brim 38 whensolute-carrier cartridge 16 is retained in the raised solute-storageposition.

Solute-carrier 16 cartridge further includes a sealing member 36 coupledto brim 38 and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to end wall 341of cup 34. Sealing member 36 cooperates with the end and side walls 341,342 of cup 34 to define an interior solute-storage region 18therebetween. Sealing member 36 is arranged to lie in confrontingrelation to cartridge-piercing unit 28 when solute-carrier cartridge 16is retained in the raised solute-storage position and to be punctured bycartridge-piercing unit 28 upon movement of solute-carrier cartridge 16in cartridge-guiding passageway 22 to engage cartridge-piercing unit 28.

Tubular inner guide 44 is cylinder-shaped as suggested in FIGS. 2, 4,and 6. Top edge 52 e has an annular shape. A portion of side wall 342included in exposed portion 160 of solute-carrier cartridge 16 iscylinder shaped.

Removable outer lid 70 is coupled to cartridge-support body 24 to coverexposed portion 160 of solute-carrier cartridge 16 to provide means forshielding exposed portion 160 of solute-carrier cartridge 16 from theraised solute-storage position to a lowered solute-dispensing positionin engagement with cartridge-piercing unit 28 to establishsolute-discharge opening 32 in solute-carrier cartridge 16.Cartridge-support body 24 further includes an upstanding lid mount 72coupled to outer skirt 46. Upstanding lid mount 72 is arranged tosurround tubular inner guide 44. Removable outer lid 70 is configured tomate with upstanding lid mount 72 to lie in spaced-apart relation toexposed portion 160 of solute-carrier cartridge 16. Top edge 52 e oftubular inner guide 44 is arranged to lie above upstanding lid mount 72and below end wall 341 of cup 34 in solute-carrier cartridge 16 whensolute-carrier cartridge 16 is retained in the raised solute-storageposition.

Cartridge retainer 54 includes a first retention rib 56 coupled totubular inner guide 44 and arranged to lie in cartridge-guidingpassageway 22. Solute-carrier cartridge 16 is formed to include anoutwardly opening notch 42. First retention rib 56 is arranged to extendinto the outwardly opening notch 42 to establish the raisedsolute-storage position of the solute-carrier cartridge 16 incartridge-guiding passageway 22. First retention rib 56 is arranged toextend into outwardly opening notch 42 and to confront an upwardlyfacing surface 59 included in solute-carrier cartridge 16 to providemeans for engaging upwardly facing surface 59 to block withdrawal ofsolute-carrier cartridge 16 from cartridge-guiding passageway 22 throughtop aperture 520 formed in tubular inner guide 44.

Cartridge retainer 54 further includes a second retention rib 58 coupledto tubular inner guide 44 and arranged to lie in cartridge-guidingpassageway 22. Second retention rib 58 is configured and sized toprovide means for establishing an interference fit with an outer surfaceof solute-carrier cartridge 16 normally to retain solute-carriercartridge 16 in the raised solute-storage position in cartridge-guidingpassageway 22. Tubular inner guide 44 includes a top edge 52 e formed todefine top aperture 520 and second retention rib 58 is arranged to liebetween top edge 52 e and first retention rib 56.

Cartridge-support body 24 further includes a cartridge stop 53 coupledto tubular inner guide 44. Cartridge stop 53 is arranged to engagesolute-carrier cartridge 16 after cartridge-piercing unit 28 haspunctured solute-carrier cartridge 16 to produce solute-dischargeopening 32 in solute-carrier cartridge 16. First retention rib 56 isarranged to lie between second retention rib 58 and cartridge stop 53.Cartridge stop 53 is arranged to interconnect tubular inner guide 44 andcartridge-piercing unit 28 and to support cartridge-piercing unit 28 ina stationary position extending into cartridge-guiding passageway 22.

1. A solute-dispensing closure comprising a cartridge-support bodyincluding a tubular inner guide formed to include a cartridge-guidingpassageway and a guide mount coupled to the tubular inner guide andadapted to be coupled to a container to hold the tubular inner guide ina stationary position relative to the container placing thecartridge-guiding passageway in fluid communication with an interiorsolvent-storage region formed in the container, the tubular inner guidebeing formed to include a top aperture opening into thecartridge-guiding passageway and a bottom aperture opening into thecartridge-guiding passageway and communicating with the interiorsolvent-storage region of a container coupled to the guide mount, acartridge-piercing unit associated with the bottom aperture formed inthe tubular inner guide, a solute-carrier cartridge mounted for movementin the tubular inner guide toward the cartridge-piercing unit, and acartridge retainer coupled to the tubular inner guide and configured toprovide means for normally retaining the solute-carrier cartridge in araised solute-storage position lying in spaced-apart relation to thecartridge-piercing unit and extending outwardly through the top apertureformed in the tubular inner guide to cause an exposed portion of thesolute-carrier cartridge to lie outside of the cartridge-guidingpassageway until an external impact force is applied to the exposedportion to cause the solute-carrier cartridge to move in thecartridge-guiding passageway to engage the cartridge-piercing unit andcause the cartridge-piercing unit to puncture the solute-carriercartridge and establish a solute-discharge opening in the solute-carriercartridge freeing any solute carried in the solute-carrier cartridge toflow out of the solute-carrier cartridge into any solvent stored in aninterior solvent-storage region formed in a container coupled to theguide mount.
 2. The solute-dispensing closure of claim 1, wherein thetubular inner guide includes a top edge formed to define the topaperture and the solute-carrier cartridge includes a cup formed toinclude an end wall arranged to lie outside the cartridge-guidingpassageway and in spaced-apart relation to the top edge of the tubularinner guide and a side wall coupled to the end wall and arranged toextend into the cartridge-guiding passageway and terminate at a brimwhen the solute-carrier cartridge is retained in the raisedsolute-storage position.
 3. The solute-dispensing closure of claim 2,wherein the solute-carrier cartridge further includes a sealing membercoupled to the brim and arranged to lie in spaced-apart relation to theend wall of the cup and cooperate with the end and side walls of the cupto define an interior solute-storage region therebetween and the sealingmember is arranged to lie in confronting relation to thecartridge-piercing unit when the solute-carrier cartridge is retained inthe raised solute-storage position and to be punctured by thecartridge-piercing unit upon movement of the solute-carrier cartridge inthe cartridge-guiding passageway to engage the cartridge-piercing unit.4. The solute-dispensing closure of claim 2, wherein the tubular innerguide is cylinder-shaped, the top edge has an annular shape, and aportion of the side wall included in the exposed portion ofsolute-carrier cartridge is cylinder-shaped.
 5. The solute-dispensingclosure of claim 2, further comprising a removable outer lid coupled tothe cartridge-support body to cover the exposed portion of thesolute-carrier cartridge to provide means for shielding the exposedportion of the solute-carrier cartridge from the raised solute-storageposition to a lowered solute-dispensing position in engagement with thecartridge-piercing unit to establish the solute-discharge opening in thesolute-carrier cartridge.
 6. The solute-dispensing closure of claim 5,wherein the cartridge-support body further includes an upstanding lidmount coupled to the outer skirt and arranged to surround the tubularinner guide and the removable outer lid is configured to mate with theupstanding lid mount to lie in spaced-apart relation to the exposedportion of the solute-carrier cartridge.
 7. The solute-dispensingclosure of claim 6, wherein the top edge of the tubular inner guide isarranged to lie above the upstanding lid mount and below the end wall ofthe cup in the solute-carrier cartridge when the solute-carriercartridge is retained in the raised solute-storage position.
 8. Thesolute-dispensing closure of claim 1, wherein the cartridge retainerincludes a first retention rib coupled to the tubular inner guide andarranged to lie in the cartridge-guiding passageway, the solute-carriercartridge is formed to include an outwardly opening notch, and the firstretention rib is arranged to extend into the outwardly opening notch toestablish the raised solute-storage position of the solute-carriercartridge in the cartridge-guiding passageway.
 9. The solute-dispensingclosure of claim 8, wherein the first retention rib is arranged toextend into the outwardly opening notch and to confront an upwardlyfacing surface included in the solute-carrier cartridge to provide meansfor engaging the upwardly facing surface to block withdrawal of thesolute-carrier cartridge from the cartridge-guiding passageway throughthe top aperture formed in the tubular inner guide.
 10. Thesolute-dispensing closure of claim 8, wherein the cartridge retainerfurther includes a second retention rib coupled to the tubular innerguide and arranged to lie in the cartridge-guiding passageway and thesecond retention rib is configured and sized to provide means forestablishing an interference fit with an outer surface of thesolute-carrier cartridge normally to retain the solute-carrier cartridgein the raised solute-storage position in the cartridge-guidingpassageway.
 11. The solute-dispensing closure of claim 10, wherein thetubular inner guide includes a top edge formed to define the topaperture and the second retention rib is arranged to lie between the topedge and the first retention rib.
 12. The solute-dispensing closure ofclaim 10, wherein the cartridge-support body further includes acartridge stop coupled to the tubular inner guide and arranged to engagethe solute-carrier cartridge after the cartridge-piercing unit haspunctured the solute-carrier cartridge to produce the solute-dischargeopening in the solute-carrier cartridge and wherein the first retentionrib is arranged to lie between the second retention rib and thecartridge stop.
 13. The solute-dispensing closure of claim 12, whereinthe cartridge stop is arranged to interconnect the tubular inner guideand the cartridge-piercing unit and to support the cartridge-piercingunit in a stationary position extending into the cartridge-guidingpassageway.
 14. The solute-dispensing closure of claim 1, wherein thecartridge retainer further includes a retention rib coupled to thetubular inner guide and arranged to lie in the cartridge-guidingpassageway and the retention rib is configured and sized to providemeans for establishing an interference fit with an outer surface of thesolute-carrier cartridge normally to retain the solute-carrier cartridgein the raised solute-storage position in the cartridge-guidingpassageway and yielding in response to application of an external impactforce to the exposed portion of the solute-carrier cartridge to allowmovement of the solute-carrier cartridge in the cartridge-guidingpassageway to engage the cartridge-piercing unit so that thesolute-discharge opening is produced in the solute-carrier cartridge.15. The solute-dispensing closure of claim 1, wherein the solute-carriercartridge includes a cup formed to include a cavity and a sealing membercoupled to a brim of the cup to close an aperture defined by the brim ofthe cup and arranged to open into the cavity to form an interiorsolute-storage region of the solute-carrier cartridge and the exposedportion of the solute-carrier cartridge is defined by the cup.
 16. Thesolute-dispensing closure of claim 15, wherein the cup includes an endwall and a side wall coupled to a perimeter edge of the end wall, theend and side walls cooperate to form the cavity, a terminal end of theside wall is located in spaced-apart relation to the end wall and formedto include the brim, and the exposed portion of the solute-carriercartridge is defined by the end wall and an upper portion of the sidewall appendant to the end wall and arranged to lie in spaced-apartrelation to the brim.